2: Auctioning His Wife

SOPHIA LANCASTER

"I have always wanted to meet you, it's quite surprising to see you in a gathering like this," Daniel said breaking his eyes away from me and I felt I could finally breathe.

"I don't do business talks when I go to galas," Mr. Calder pulled out his business card, "call and schedule a meeting with my assistant." With that, he gave a curt nod turned, and walked out of the room.

His perfume lingered as he walked away, I watched his broad shoulders until I couldn't see him anymore. Beside me, Daniel was practically vibrating with energy, his eyes fixed on the business card in his hand.

"Can you believe it?" he murmured, "Ethan Calder was here."

I offered a small, noncommittal smile saying nothing. Daniel finally tore his eyes from the card. "He couldn't stop looking at you, you know."

"I'm sure he was just being polite, Daniel. People look at each other at parties." I replied.

He chuckled, "Polite? Sophia, a man like Ethan Calder doesn't do anything by accident. That wasn't politeness, that was interest."

"I don't know what you're talking about Daniel, but I want to be out of this place," I replied and turned walking out of the ballroom. I was already tired dressed in this gown, I wanted my time alone.

Daniel followed me out of the building and we got into the car, The chauffeur drove us away from the venue, and Daniel kept on sending me looks. "That look he gave you," he began again, "We can use that."

I turned from the window, "Use it? Daniel, what are you talking about?"

"You know what the Calder Corporation is, Sophia. A partnership with them would put Lancaster innovation on a whole new level. It would secure us for decades, he's notoriously difficult to get a meeting with, but today... Today he gave me his personal card and he did it while staring at my wife." He glanced at me, "He finds you attractive, that's our way in."

I felt my hands clench in the lap of my silk gown. "Our way in? It was a glance across a crowded room, you're making it into something it wasn't. He wants to talk business with you, that's all."

"He explicitly said he doesn't talk business at galas," Daniel countered smoothly. "He deferred but he didn't say no. He just needs... persuasion."

"And I'm the persuasion?" I felt a wave of nausea, "Daniel, he's just a man we met. You can't seriously be suggesting..."

"I'm suggesting you be charming," he said, his voice hardening slightly. "That you use the assets God gave you."

"The assets God gave me?" I repeated, my voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and hurt. "Daniel, are you forgetting? In case the six-carat diamond on my finger isn't a clear enough reminder, I am your wife. We are married."

He scoffed, he didn't even look at me, his eyes fixed on the road. "And so? What does that have to do with anything? I told you this is now an open marriage. I don't care who you warm your bed with, and you're not to care about mine."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them back furiously."So you want me to... to what? Seduce him for a business deal?"

"I want you to get him to the table and keep him there," he said, "If that means you have to fuck him, then you fuck him. It would be good for the company, more money for us." He finally turned to look at me, "And more money for us means more money for your mother's hospital bills. The treatment she's on isn't cheap, is it?"

"Are you threatening me?" A shuddering breath left my lips, "Are you using my mother to pimp me out?"

"Don't be so dramatic," he snapped, "I'm not threatening you. I'm presenting you with an opportunity. This is good for us, Sophia. For our future, think of it as a contribution to the company."

I said nothing more, I couldn't. I turned back to the window trying to hold back the tears that fell silently.

For three days, I tried to avoid Daniel. I stayed in my room until it was time for breakfast and dinner we ate together. On the third afternoon, my bedroom door burst open without a knock, making me jump. Daniel stood there, already dressed in a navy suit, looking impatient.

"Get dressed," he commanded, "We have a meeting."

"A meeting?" I asked, "I don't have any meetings today."

"We do with Ethan Calder. He agreed to meet, and we will leave in an hour."

The blood drained from my face. "No," I said, "I'm not going."

Daniel's jaw tightened. He walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Let me be very clear, Sophia," he said, his voice

low. "This meeting is happening and you will be there. You need to start doing your part as my wife if you want me to continue making things easy for you and for your mother."

I looked into his eyes knowing I had no choice, I gulped down the lump growing in my throat, "Fine."

He gave a curt nod of satisfaction. "Wear the green silk dress. The one that matches your eyes and for God's sake, try to look happy."

An hour later, I sat beside him in the car, we were heading to a private dining room at The Pinnacle, Daniel kept shooting glances at me, "Remember, be charming, laugh at his jokes. Ask him about himself, men like that love to talk about their accomplishments. Just be on your best behavior. This deal could make us, Sophia, don't screw it up."

I simply nodded, my gaze fixed on my own hands, which were clenched tightly in my lap.

We were shown to a secluded room. Daniel ordered a bottle of their most expensive wine and we waited. He kept adjusting his tie, checking his watch, finally, the door opened and Ethan Calder walked in.

His eyes found mine and I saw a flicker of surprise in them before his expression smoothed into one of polite neutrality.

"Mr. Hawthorne," he said as he shook my husband's hand. "Mrs. Lancaster. A pleasure to see you again."

"Same here," I murmured, forcing a smile.

They sat, and Daniel started talking about business and then he shifted his focus. "Of course, a partnership with Lancaster Innovation is more than just making profits," Daniel said, leaning forward with a smile. He placed a hand on my knee, "We believe in forming strong, personal connections. We're a family company, after all."

Ethan's gaze flickered down to Daniel's hand on my knee, then back up to his face. He said nothing, his expression unreadable.

Daniel continued, "Sophia is my greatest asset, in business and in life," he continued, "She has a wonderful way with people. A real talent for... hospitality. I'm sure you'll find that if you were to partner with us, you'd find we are very generous in every sense of the word."

I could feel the blood drain from my face, replaced by anger, my husband was auctioning me off. The air in my lungs turned to poison, and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't sit here for one more second and be sold like chattel.

Without a word, I pushed my chair back abruptly both men looked at me in surprise.

"Excuse me," I managed to choke out, I turned and walked away from the table. I made it to the lobby when I heard Daniel's voice.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Daniel hissed right behind me. His hand clamped down on my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh, he spun me around to face him his eyes blazing.

"I told you to be on your best behavior!" he seethed, "Are you trying to ruin this? We cannot lose this deal!"

I stared at him trying so hard to hold the tears back, I looked him straight in the eye, my voice shaking but clear. "You better not regret this one day, Daniel."

He stared at me, momentarily taken aback by my tone.

"You better hope you never regret your decisions," I continued, my voice gaining strength. "Since you are so hell-bent on turning this marriage into an open one, so determined to use me as your bargaining chip. Just be sure you're prepared for the consequences when I finally decide to play the game by your rules."

He let out a short, dismissive laugh. "Jealous?" he scoffed, his grip on my arm loosening. "Don't flatter yourself, Sophia. I'll never be jealous. Now, fix your face, we're going back to that table."

I cleared my throat and followed him back to the table.

"My apologies, Mr. Calder," Daniel said smoothly as we reached the table. "My wife... she just had some minor issues. A bit of a headache, she's fine now."

I sat back down in my chair, I didn't look at Daniel, I looked at Ethan Calder, whose eyes were fixed on me, and smiled at him.